July 2019
Kristen and Hector matched on the dating app Bumble in July 2019.
Kristen found Hector incredibly handsome, and was immediately drawn to his (very accurate) description as a “fun loving, romantic, ambitious guy who enjoys cooking, sailing, travel and new adventures.”
After a few days of lively chatting on the app, Kristen suggested they meet for drinks to keep the conversation going in-person. Hector quickly agreed, but suggested they meet for dinner at Hinoki + The Bird, a beautiful restaurant in Kristen’s neighborhood, instead.
Hector was floored by Kristen’s beauty and captivated by her wit and brilliance as they talked and dined throughout that cool summer night. She was absolutely amazing and he was smitten at first sight.
They had such a wonderful time that Hector asked Kristen for a second date when dropping her off at her apartment that night, for the following weekend. But they couldn’t wait that long, and met for lunch a few days later.
September 2019
Kristen and Hector continued to see each other regularly, getting to know one another over dinners, sailing and fishing trips, Los Angeles Times food festivals, movie nights at the Melrose Rooftop Theater, and more.
In September 2019, the pair traveled to Catalina for the Catalina Wine Mixer (created after the fictitious event featured in the film “Stepbrothers”). It was there that the couple said “I love you” for the first time.
March 2020
Kristen and Hector both love to travel, and were excited to do more exploring together. They booked a trip to the Cayman Islands for March 2020. When they left L.A., the idea of the pandemic reaching U.S. soil seemed ludicrous. By the time they left the Cayman Islands, their workplaces had gone remote, and countries were beginning to close their borders.
2020-2022
Instead of traveling the world firsthand, Kristen and Hector spent much of the early days of the pandemic in a small quarantine bubble, going for long socially-distant beach walks and watching TV series based in other countries, including several based in Japan, where Hector was partially raised. Hector also found creative ways of continuing their fine dining experiences (and supporting local restaurants) through a number of at-home meal kits, until restrictions eased. The couple moved into a new home together in February 2021.
December 31, 2022
On December 31, 2022, Hector took Kristen to their first date restaurant, Hinoki + The Bird, for an early New Year’s Eve dinner. Later, after opening a bottle of champagne and settling on the couch at home to watch the ball drop, Hector got down on one knee and told Kristen that he didn’t want to go into another year without proposing! Of course, Kristen immediately said yes :)